southern white guy here ive got a problem with our ethnic divides but ive got a story for you about the nword told to me by my father about his father they had finished up an hvac service call in the s in coastal nc and the guy didnt pay them my grandfather muttered the nword under his breath as they drove off and my father just had to open his mouth he said pop that guy wasnt even black and my fathers father responded son being black doesnt make you a nigger its got nothing to do with race theres a reason nigger is such a touchy word its one of only two words that dont make it into my daily sailorlike vocabulary